Enslaved
by FishTVCo
Summary: "Here is your choice, Vegeta. I die, you die. Save me, save yourself. My freedom is your freedom." AU in which Bulma enslaves Vegeta with a slave headband in order to make him help her return home, but things are not simple and soon everything changes. - Action, Sci-Fi version of the Namek arc.
1. Prologue

**Prelude:**

Zarbon sidestepped the growing puddle of green goo spraying out of what was once an Arlian slave. _Those bugs are just as ugly on the inside, _Zarbon thought with a grimace. He continued to walk to towards Frieza's throne and kneeled.

"Ah, Zarbon," Frieza said in his usual deceptively jovial voice, "And you brought the monkeys with you."

Vegeta, Nappa and Raditz walked defiantly towards to the throne behind Zarbon. Vegeta's scowl deepened, but allowed the familiar insulting pet name to pass over him. Instead, he kneeled before the throne before quickly standing upright again with shoulders back and arms tensed at his sides. Nappa and Raditz stayed kneeled behind him, both hoping this stop was short so that they could get to the med ward soon, all of them were a little worse for wear after this mission.

"So, Vegeta. I hear you had some sort of problem conquering Shikk. It took you and your men three days to conquer that little rock.

"We accomplished exactly what you desired and the remaing inhabitants pledged loyalty to you and the Cold Empire," Vegeta said calmly.

Frieza smiled to himself, "Did they really? I'm just surprised it took so long." Zarbon laughed at the disgruntled look on Vegeta's face. "Very well, you are dismissed," Frieza said as he waved them away.

Raditz stood and muttered a little too loudly, "We just crushed an entire race of people and that is all he has to say?" The Shikk had not made the Saiyan's work easy; they had advanced technology and the team had to disable several explosive devices that would have destroyed and irradiated the environment and atmosphere, and thus destroying the planet's value. Raditz had been captured and tortured for a full day until Nappa and Vegeta finished the extermination and searched for him. His failure by being captured and endangering the mission stung at his pride and he knew that he was lucky Vegeta didn't kill him on the spot. Nappa visibly flitched at the younger Saiyan's foolishness and shot him a silencing glance, but Vegeta remained unmoved and empty.

Frieza calmly looked at the boisterous, long-haired Saiyan like a beast allowing the child to poke him one last time. He said, "Tell me, Zarbon, how long do you think it would take you to conquer a planet like Shikk?"

Zarbon puffed up a bit before answering, "Well, I imagine one day would be enough"

"Really? A whole day? It IS a tiny planet," he said with a laugh that forced the rest of the room to join in. Vegeta grit his teeth as the sound filled the room; he made a mental note to beat Raditz thoroughly in the next training session. After the rooms laughter quieted Frieza continued, "Is there anything else you would like to report to me? You do understand I have more significant matters to attend to…"

"Grr… cocky little…"Raditz grumbled under his breath, but before he could inhale Frieza had him by the throat.

"My Lord Frieza," Vegeta said with a detached and level voice, "I believe I am allowed to punish my men as I see fit. As we agreed"

"True, but you seem to be shirking in your duties in disciplining as you are at doing your job in a timely manner," He squeezed Raditz's throat a little harder until the man could only sputter and scratch out a sliver of air. A glint came across Frieza eyes then, "Perhaps you need me to demonstrate to you how punition is truly done," he said waiting for an answer before he would consider dropping the choking man.

Vegeta mentally prepared himself for whatever beating Frieza had cooked up for him. He knew well the things his twisted mind would think up. "Yes, My Lord," Vegeta said as he would say to any of Frieza's missions.

"You will work off this insubordination on the Slave Planet Z. Most don't survive a fortnight, but I am sure you will find it very….. enlightening. Dodoria, escort Vegeta to the slave ship."

Nappa stood in quiet panic as he heard what was happening. Even the onlookers gasped and whispered at the idea. Everyone had heard the stories of Slave Planet Z, the mining camps there was beyond hard labor. He glared down at Raditz for his part in this mess. Vegeta remained unchanged; cold and hard as ever.

Zarbon leaned over with glee at this development, "What about the restraints, my Lord?"

"Oh yes, the anti-ki cuffs should be enough," he called out to Dodoria. "But not those damned headbands; they are drilled in so tight they can't be removed without killing him. I wouldn't want to damage my favorite pet. But Vegeta, give me any further problems, and we may never see that hairline of yours again"

Dodoria gave Vegeta a push in the direction of the exit. Vegeta growled at him warningly at being touched. Apul met them at the docking bay with the ki-suppressing cuffs. After affixing them around Vegeta's wrists and using a device to activate them, Vegeta could instantly feel his energy being drained away. he had to fight to continue to stand upright as the effect sapped every drop of ki away from him. Dodoria pushed him into the pod of the slave ship sending Vegeta into the wall with a heavy bang.

"Bye Bye, Monkey," Dodoria said as he closed the claustrophobic door and it locked into place as Vegeta slid to the grated floor unconscious.

Back in the throne room, Frieza was congratulating himself on the turn of events. He was alway delighted in finding new ways to torture his little prince.

"Vegeta really asked for it this time, My Lord. And since that slave ship is empty and just leaving port, Vegeta will have to stay in that pod for weeks until the ship is full of new bodies." Zarbon said as he poured more of the dark substance into his lord's goblet.

"An added bonus indeed," Frieza replied with glee. He swirled his goblet as he looked around the room. Some of the bug-like Arlian slaves were on the floor in front of the throne cleaning up their fallen comrade. "Make a note Zarbon, find a new breed of slaves for the castle. I am sick of these Arlian ones," His smile peeled wider as he thought, "something that looks like a Saiyan, but perhaps without the bad temper."

Zarbon sneered back, "An excellent idea my Lord."

A/N: Sorry it was so long to post. I have been working on the later chapters so I would avoid the super long pauses between posts. We will see how I do. Hope you like the new story! Please review


	2. Chapter 1: Escape

**Chapter 1: Escape**

It had been weeks. Weeks! Inside that cramped pod as it flew and stomped down on one planet or another. The lights turned off and on, as his only indicator that time had passed. There was a small porthole window, but the only thing he could see was a part of a hallway that lead to the rows and rows of other slave pods. For days, Vegeta tried to train to pass the time, moving through Kantas, but the walls were so narrow he could not even stretch his arms fully out. Plus the cuffs cut him off from his ki and soon felt useless. So now he meditated.

Occasionally he saw a slaver, but they are only drones thanks to the headband they wore; an invention from some technologically advance system, perhaps Rygol 7. Frieza didn't put them on all the slaves in the palace, simply for the fact that they are not as entertaining when the headband controls their every thought and emotion with pain. And Frieza loved to watch as a slaves spirit was broken, but there is nothing to break with the headband, those slaves are hollow husks. The headband forces unwavering compliance with pain and eventually the wearer is cut off from all emotions and personality. While Vegeta hated the cuffs sapping away his energy, the headband would have been a fate worse than death.

A voice is heard echoing gently throughout the ship, "Welcome to slave ship 804. On route to Slave Planet Z, a Cold Empire planet. You have been assessed and any injuries sustained during your capture have been designated as non-life threatening. Remaining journey time is estimated at 430 galactic hours. If you are experiencing severe nausea or need to relieve yourself, please do so in the grate positioned under your feet. A new life awaits you at our destination. Compliance on the journey will be rewarded with safety and sustenance. Noncompliance will be rewarded with pain."

A flash of blue catches his attention. Through the tiny porthole window on his pod, he sees a blue haired girl stepping down from the slave pod across from him. She runs over to a computer display screen and starts punching keys. Almost immediately afterwards the ship shakes and loud bangs and distant explosions are heard.

The same gentle computer voice comes on the speakers "Warning, engine overload. Temperature at critical levels. Alert. Alert." The bangs and explosions were closer now drowning out the dull repeating alarm.

"Hey. HEY!" Vegeta banged the wall to get her attention. She looked right at him for a moment, her blue eyes held in place by his dark ones, but only for a moment before she turned and ran down the hall. Vegeta cursed under his breath as she disappeared from his view and he punched the wall in frustration. The pods shakes violently again.

"Hull breach" the calm computer voice overhead said as fire ripped through the hallway.

Another explosion dislodged Vegeta's slave pod from the wall mounts. Leveraging his feet and back against the wall and door he strained his ki-less body to push till the door finally gave way. He climbed from the battered pod and looked down the hallway. He could hear the cries of faceless voices, whimpers and shouting and panic as the ship rocked and shook again.

He ran down the corridors, the same way as the blue-haired girl.

"Slave escaping in sector 9! Slave escap-" a panicked voice cried before a quick punch to the jaw silenced him.

"Don't call me that," Vegeta says to the crumpled corpse.

"Escapee in section 9," the female mechanical voice calls out. Shit. "Activating cyberman droids in section 9"

_Perfect_, Vegeta thinks before the bending of electronic gears as two droids move off their mounted position on the wall._ Just perfect._ The droids step forward, as beams of light as their lasers strikes the grated floor, slicing through the metal easily. _Without my ki I can't just blast them away and get out of here._ Vegeta rolled his shoulders back and let the smirk widen on his face. _Guess we are doing this the old fashioned way._

He narrowly missed one droids laser as he lunged forward onto the second. He grabbed its arm and swung it into the other droid, knocking them both into the wall. The droids' lasers had sliced into each other, rendering both machines sparking hunks of junk. Just as Vegeta was crossing his arms to gloat, four more heavily armed droids stepped off the walls in front of him. _This is going to take all day. I've got to get these ki-suppressors off now._

The female mechanical voice come on overhead again, "Warning. Escape pod 7 launched. 6 pods remaining. Please proceed to level B escape pods."

_Shit nevermind. Time to get out of here._ Vegeta turned and started running down the corridor as the droids opened fire behind him. Once he was through the door at the end of the long hallway, he slammed his fist into the control panel on the side, and closed the door behind him.

Another masked slaver was there by a computer screen station. In an instant Vegeta was inches in front of him. "You! Get these cuffs off me,"

"I-I can't. It's against regulations" he stammered. Vegeta punched his fist into the computer screen next to his head. "The cuffs can only be deactivated by the device in the command-"

Just as the masked man was explaining the mechanical voice was heard again, "Slave 0145 is assisting an escaping prisoner. Level 1 infraction. Command, termination Slave 0145."

The masked slaver started screaming with his hands on his head. The metal headband over his masked face began to glow a bright red. And then the man was on the ground as the headband sparked out.

"Termination complete"

Vegeta looked down at the masked body a moment before continuing down the corridor. _I guess asking these guys won't work. I'll have to find some other way to get these off, but first I have to get off this ship._

"Escape pod 5 launched. 4 pods remaining"

He continued to run, following the glowing arrows and signs he saw along the way. Doors slid open automatically before him, until he came to one that didn't. Through the window on the door he saw the blue-haired girl again.

"Hey! Open the door," he shouted to the window. She looked at him with hesitation as she backed up, unsure. Then she made a determined turn and punched codes into the door console before continuing on and leaving Vegeta behind the locked door. "Hey! You mother… Dammit!" He slammed his fist into the metal door for good measure.

"Escape pod 4 launched. 3 pods remaining"

Vegeta looked out the porthole window to his right. He could see the black smoke bellowing from the engines and pieces of metal panels ripping off the sides of the ship. Then, just a bit farther up the ship he saw something blast out of the side of the ship.

"Escape pod 3 launched. 2 pods remaining. Warning, impact in 90 seconds"

Before a second thought, Vegeta pushed the airlock button. He braced himself on the doorframe as he felt the outside air sucking him through the door. Holding onto the exposed pipes he climbed his way around the outside of the ship. Wind blew and pulled at him and explosions continued to rock and shake the ship, but he dug his fingers into the rusty pipes, bolts and busted panels. He saw a pod fire off the ship a few yards away from him. _Only one more._ Taking a maintenance ladder upwards, he climbed up onto the last pod.

There she was again. He stretched his body across the escape pods red circle window and looked down at the blue-haired girl now strapping the safety harness down over her shoulders. Her blue eyes locked with his as he banged on the window. She looked startled and uncomfortable with the Saiyan prince holding onto the outside of the window. All Vegeta could do was shake his head NO as she looked right at him and slammed her hand into the large red launch button.

The pod blazed through the sky, away from the burning ship as it flew. The force of the wind made Vegeta have to really push to lift himself up off the window. Inside he could still see the girl, she had tried to turn her face away from him, but her eyes wouldn't let her. The pod shook. They went flying far away from anything and towards an overgrown forest. Vegeta barely had time to think an expletive before the pod was crashing him-first into a tree. The trunk splintered and broke in two across his body. His head banged into the window of the pod, but he managed to still hold on as more trees broke around and across him. Before Vegeta felt the impact of hitting ground, everything had gone black.

A/N: Please read and review. It feeds my Ego Monsters and she keeps me writing more.


	3. Chapter 2: Unwilling Companion

**Chapter 2: Unwilling Companion**

Vegeta woke up laying on a bed of soft grass and a gentle breeze, but all he can feel was his splitting headache. Turning over on his side, with more effort than he wanted to admit, he could see the blue-haired girl. She was sitting with her legs pulled up in front of her as she watched him apprehensively. Her blue eyes reflected her caution and fear, but something else Vegeta couldn't gather. "You? Ah my head" The migraine flowed over him again and he rolled onto his back again. "Kami, it feels like my head is going to explode"

"It is the headband. The slave headband. The one I fit on you." She said it easily, simply stating the fact.

Vegeta looked directly at her then, as his hands reached to his head. It was a headband. The same headband that the masked slavers on the ship had. "You put this on me?" he said as he sat up farther. The anger dripped from his mouth making the words shake and quiver to find their own victim.

"Let me explain—"

"Get this thing off or I'm gonna rip your head off," Vegeta said it quietly, not as a threat, but a stiff promise.

"No," she said after a deep pause. Her eyes were determined as she stared at him. Unafraid.

"No?" his voice was rising to a shout quickly, "You think I'm screwing with you? Do you have any idea what you have done?! Get it OFF!" He was up and moving towards her then.

Jumping up and away from the fuming Saiyan, she squeaked out "No! Command Stop!"

The hands that were reaching out to strangle the life from the blue-haired girl now reached up to his own head as the pain ripped through his mind. The world seemed to fuzz and shake as Vegeta doubled over with the pain.

"It- It works!" she said with a crack of glee at her own brilliance before continuing in seriousness, "Command Move Away from Me."

Vegeta backed away quickly as the pain continued to peel open his mind.

"What the hell are you doing?" Vegeta said, writhing against the headband.

"I hacked a slave headband so it would be activated by my voice commands. Activation triggers a systemic pain response. It's what controls the slaves." She said each word in a controlled calm way, like recited parts of a chemical formula.

"I'm gonna kill you," Vegeta said still holding his head in his hands trying to push the pain away.

"You can't. I set it so that if my heart stops beating, for any reason, the headband will administer a lethal dose," Vegeta looked up through the blur and pain and locked his eyes with the face before him. "If I die, you die," she said finitely.

Feeling the pain begin to ebb, he said "Why?"

"Because I need your help. I need to get back home, to Earth. I'll never make it on my own. The slavers could still be out there. You get me back home and I'll let you go back to wherever you are from."

The pain was lifting now and all he could think of was killing her and her entire community as soon as the headband was off. "Looks like I don't have a choice," Vegeta said finally. He took in several long purposeful breaths as the pain subsided completely.

"Neither of us does," her voice was quiet now, "I'm sorry." There was that emotion in her eyes he couldn't place before. Guilt. _I don't get that, _he thought and verbally scoffed.

"Sorry? No, I don't think you are," Vegeta said in a cold voice. He pushed to his feet and walked towards her. He took several deep breaths as he looked down at the female. She was... unexpected. Not just in being able to orchestra this situation, but he was more surprised by her eyes. As he approached her, she backed away slightly but there was no fear in her eyes. Not a moment wasted on fearing the man she knew was beyond powerful; she had witnessed first band him surviving the impact and she knew it was only a taste taste of what he was capable. After his long stare at the girl, he stated flatly, "Move. We are leaving."

He stood still as she gathered her bag, putting a handful of small tubes into the front pocket. He did not wait for her and walked on and tried to clean the last twinges of pain from his head.

"Do you know what the plan is?" Bulma said once she had everything she needed.

"To get you home as soon as possible, so you can get this thing off me and I can break your neck"

"I meant—"

"I know what you meant," he said curtly, "Where is the pod?"

"You mean the escape pod? Over there. It survived the crash quite well, it made a huge crater but the ship seemed still in tact. Which doesn't make much sense with the speed-"

"Quiet, Onna. Just take me to the pod. We can use it to get to... whatever planet you said," When she pointed behind him, he turned and started walking and left her to trot after to catch up.

"Earth. But how is that possible? That pod didn't look like it had an internal propulsion system or anything," Bulma said, her interest peaked, "Unless it uses-"

"Do you ever stop talking?!" He cut her off, "It doesn't matter how it works. It may take longer, but it can get us to your home and you can get this thing off me."

After walking the short distance, he saw the round pod and the clearing it and his body had made crashing through the trees. Lucky he heals so fast, so all he felt now was some muscle soreness. He walked up to the pod and started to punch into the keypad on the console. After getting the coordinates from her, he started to get into the pod.

"We can't both ride in that, can we? It is so crapped and what about food and supplies?"

"Would you like to ride on the outside on this trip?"

"No," she admitted with a childlike look of guilt. She blushed at thinking of staying in such close quarters with the man. "But-"

Vegeta groaned at her never ending questions and climbed into the brown cushioned seat. Bulma bite her lip as she approached the pod. As she moved to sit between his open knees, she attempted to distract herself by looking at the consoles and display screens.

Vegeta couldn't help but smirk as she agonizingly allowed her curved rump to come closer to him. He had to spread his knees to make room for her hips to fit between. This was the first time he had looked the girl over and he was starting at the bottom, so to speak. She had a trim waist, thin weak-looking arms, and long bluish hair that hung in waves down her back. She was trying to sit as far away from him as possible, leaning far forward over the consoles. Once she seemed fully inside the pod, he pressed a few buttons and the pod door with red porthole moved into place.

"So, how long do we have to sit like this?" she asked avoiding turning around to look at him.

"The trip will take two weeks. But-" he said, insisting to continue when she started to object or, kami forbid it, ask another question, "but you will hardly notice once the suspended animation starts. It will only seem like a good rest." When she began to open her mouth he said firmly, "And not another question until we land or so help me, I will end us both right now."

She pulled her lips tightly together and nodded. He was hitting more buttons then and the pod began to vibrate as the strange alien engines came to life. She watched the screens closely as lights flashed or changed color all over, but before she could open her mouth to defy him with a question, she was slammed back into her seat. Well, not a seat but the hard chest of the man sharing her seat. She could see through the porthole as the scenery vanished from view and only the red-tinted sky was in front of them.

She was smiling in open wonder at the sight, "Amazing! I wondered why the window was red, but it must be to block the harmful light rays from passing stars," she glanced back at his grumbling face, "I said I wondered. I didn't ask anything," she said with a wink for good measure.

Vegeta didn't know what to make of this girl or her smiling face as she leaned closer to the porthole, but it made the edges of his mouth bend up. He also didn't seem to mind when she was leaning all the way back against his chest. Before another strange thought crossed his mind, he engaged the sleeping gas on the console next to him. He resisted the effects as the gas filled the pod, but she quickly slumped gently back onto his chest. He took the opportunity to look closely at her face and examine this strange creature that had captured him. She was quite lovely when not asking incessant questions. _It will be a shame to have to kill her once the headband is off,_ he thought as he let the gas overcome him as well.

A/N: hope you like the new chapter and that you review! Thanks for all the support, means a lot and keeps me writing.


	4. Chapter 3: Belated Introductions

**A/N: WOOT NEW CHAPTER! I get excited about it too. Please Review if you do too. Thanks to the reviews and followers to this point; You are my favorite people!**

**Chapter 3: Belated Introductions**

The landing on Earth was far easier than their previous landing, at least it was for Vegeta. The only discomfort was when the gas turned off shortly before entering the atmosphere and the woman would not stop screaming as the pod headed into the planet. His ears were still ringing from her high pitched wailing. And she had crawled all over him, pulling and tugging on his suit and hair in her panic.

They crashed into a desert area with nothing really around, even along the horizon. After the pod doors opened, Vegeta pushed her unceremoniously out of the pod and onto the ground before making his own grand entrance.

"What the hell?!" Bulma said rubbing her bottom and dusting off her skirt.

Vegeta reached into a compartment of the pod and pulled out a small device. He opened it and tried to put it over his eye, but discovered that it wouldn't fit with the headband in the way. He nearly crushed the scouter in his fist in frustration. Instead he tossed it at the woman and looked towards the horizon for a hint of where they would go next.

"What is this?"

"A scouter," anticipating her next insesent question he continued, "It is a communication device, it also measures energy signatures so that when we go to a planet we can take out the biggest threat first." He lifted his eyes to the horizon and sniffed the air. It smelled like something was burning to the west.

"It measures energy, hmm." she pressing some of the buttons. "I had friends here on Earth that just sensed energy. I wonder if it works the same way," she said matter-a-factly while putting the scouter over her eye.

"What?" he turned to her, this was the only interesting thing to spill from her mouth since they became tied together. "What do you mean they could sense energy?" he said as he stepped closer to her so he stood a little too close for her own comfort.

"Uh, well. They could. I never could," she took a step back to regain some of the air she felt like she had lost. "Krillin described it to me once. What did he say exactly? Oh yeah," she cleared her throat as she attempted to channel the short monk. "Ki is a tangible energy that lives inside each and every living thing. By sensing ki, one can sense the location, life force and power level of anyone, although it is easier to sense higher power levels and ones that are physically closer. They used to suppress their ki too, when hiding from enemies too. Um, he also said something about it was similar to feeling electricity in the air during battles or something. I don't remember I lost interest while he was talking," she waved off the memory with a shrug, but Vegeta did not seem to have lost interest at all. "When we get to the compound, you can ask him yourself, if you really want to know," she stammered out. She decided not to tell him that Krillin also described it as like trying to teach sight to the blind.

Vegeta was fascinated by this idea and the great advantages it would offer him if he wasn't tied to a scouter. The feeling of electricity in the air during battle, he certainly recognized that aspect. He would have to practice this ki sensing later on, which of course he would master within minutes, but for now he needed to get rid of this headband. And the woman.

"It is too bad we didn't land any closer, but that is ok," she said pulling a tube from her pocket. "I managed to keep some capsules when they captured me." She pressed the button on top and tossed the tube onto the ground. After a pop and puff of smoke, a motorcycle appeared in its place. Bulma turned to Vegeta, a wide gloating smile across her face, just dying for the chance to explain her device's genius. To her chagrin, Vegeta hadn't been paying attention at all, and merely raised an eyebrow at the two wheeled machine. It is not that he wasn't incredibly surprised by the appearing machine, but he would not give her the satisfaction of surprising him again.

"Hmm," he scoffed. "It moves along the ground?" he rolled his eyes as he thought, _what a primitive planet_.

"Hey! I didn't pack my jet with me, I am so sorry your high and mightiness," she lashed back and she crossed her arms over her chest. All at once a realization hit her that made her blush deeply with embarrassment. She didn't even know his name. She had enslaved a total stranger, was traveling with him in very close quarters for two weeks, technically, and she had never introduced herself. More embarrassing than not knowing his name was trying to figure out how to make introductions now that it had been so long.

Vegeta didn't notice the turmoil in the female, but he did like the title she called him, even if it was meant to be insulting. He moved towards the ground transport and walked around it, but still unsure exactly how one opens up the cabin to sit in it. Knowing that Frieza's men could still be on the planet and having no desire to be seen wearing a slave headband Vegeta admitted to himself that perhaps it is best not to fly there.

Bulma saw him examining the motorcycle and finally sitting on the cushioned seat like he was riding a horse side-saddle. She suppressed a giggle and quietly swung a leg over the bike while holding onto the handles.

When he realized how she wanted him to sit on the bike behind her, he wondered why she had such a problem with the seating in the pod.

"Make sure you hold on," she blushed and quickly added, "There are handles under your seat." Once they were situated, she revved the engine into life and followed the blinking light on GPS display on the bike console. It was going to take over 20 hours to drive to Capsule Corp. _Hope he is comfortable back there,_ she thought wishing she had an altogether different form of transportation.

Their rode for hours before the scenery changed at all, growing more grass and bushes and eventually trees and forests around them and the horizon and landscaped changed. As the sun was setting, Bulma couldn't take it anymore; the boredom, quiet and the extreme need to find a private bush somewhere. She tried to chat with him, but perhaps the wind blew away the words or the man behind her was simply ignoring her. She slowed the bike to a stop into a shady wooded area.

"We should stop and camp for the night," she said awkwardly. After so much silence during the trip, she felt strange speaking aloud at all; it was like she had been caught talking to herself.

They were quiet for a long time after getting off the bike, and still longer as he watched her open more capsules with supplies and blankets. After seeing the man eat, she wished she had packed far more food than just one week's emergency provisions. After the sun as long set and the area was filled with cool damp air, blinking fireflies and cricket churps, they both sat around the fire. The roaring fire flickered long shadows across the clearing. He stepped through the darkest shadows, yet she still couldn't see him clearly in the twisting lights.

She cleared her throat to break the silence before she spoke. "You know it is strange that we are traveling together and I don't know anything about you. Were you captured from a planet?"

"No."

"Well, I am sure you didn't volunteer to be on the slave ship. Can you tell me more about yourself?"

"No."

Growing annoyed she said, "Well can I at least know your name? I should have something to call you," _not just Ass,_ she added to herself.

"I am his royal highness, Prince Vegeta the fifth of Vegeta-kai. Ruler of all Saiyans and the Saiyan realms and territories across the galaxy. Commander of the Saiyan armies."

After a long pause she said, "Um, can I just call you Vegeta?"

"Prince Vegeta will be acceptable"

"Veggie it is!" she said with a huge grin hoping he would crack a smile. He didn't. "Prince Veggie?" Still no luck, "Fine, fine. Vegeta. Happy?" after another long pause, she said, "My name is Bulma Briefs,"

Vegeta gave a gruff sigh and opened the canned beverage she had in the "refrigerator," as she called it. The technology she had was surprisingly useful, but he was mainly liked how tasty the food from her planet was. He watched her through the flames, buried deeply in the blankets so only her head stuck out, like a blue capped mountain. Even though the whipping flames, her eyes shone bright and cool. She was strangely beautiful, _if only she wasn't so horrendous to be around_, he thought. He was very interested in the ki-sensing she has mentioned earlier. He had indeed felt that crackle of energy during battles, but never really thought much about it. Since there were not any high power levels nearby, at least he assumed so, he started with quietly listening to his own ki and imaging it at the center of his body. It was hard with the ki-cuffs still on. How was he to get them off with the slave ship destroyed? And on different planet. Suddenly annoyed with his situation, he distracted himself by watching the flames; and he was kept an eye on her as well.

She got up quickly and darted over to a one of the decapsulated items and grabbed a small tray of tools and the scouter. _What is she doing?,_ he thought as she pulled the back panel off the scouter and started fiddling with the wires and circuit board.

"What are you doing, Onna?" he said.

"I'm trying to adapt the scouter to try and block our ki-signature, so that if any of those soldiers look for us, they can't pick us up on their scouters.

"Hmm," Vegeta said, "Makes little difference right now while my ki is being suppressed by these cuffs,"

"What? Your power is being suppressed?" she looked up him in surprise, "But you are so strong,"

"Of course, I am a Saiyan," a smirk daring to lift the corner of his mouth at the astonished look on her face.

She left her protective mound of blankets and sat next to him, eyes locked on his wrists. She grasped his arm just above the wrist and twisted it all around so that she could get a better look at the cuffs. Too surprised by the bold way in which she was touching him, and enjoying the way her brow knit together as she was concentrating on the task in front of her, he allowed her small hand to twist and stretch his arm in all directions. After a little probing, to his astonishment, she opened up a hidden panel in the side of the cuff.

Taking a screwdriver from her kit she shorted out the circuit board and the cuff popped open without further hassle. Vegeta could only be in awe for a moment before he felt his ki become unbound and pulse through his body again. It unleashed from deep within his center and explode out at such force he could barely contain it. A scream erupted from him as he powered up, allowing his ki to bellow out of him in a great aura that blew the small female off her feet. He reveled in the power at his fingertips again.

"Your welcome," Bulma said sarcastically from the ground as she struggled to put her feet under her again. She stood and dusted herself off and moving back towards her blanket pile.

_She certainly is smarter than she looks, _he thought looking at his freed wrists. As she went back to her mountain of blanket with the ki-cuff in hand, a new toy to play with it seemed. Vegeta sat back down and tried to focus on his ki again, now that it was vibrating freely.

"At this rate we'll reach my community by tomorrow," Bulma fidgeted slightly, "What will you do when we get there? And after I take the headband off?" She gave him a small smile, "Apart from break my neck I mean."

He was quiet for a long moment. "Go back I guess."

"Go back where?"

"It doesn't matter," he watched the fire crack and spark. What other choice did he really have then returning to Frieza's service?

"Don't you have a home planet?" she asked.

He could hear the pity seeping into her voice; it annoyed him. "No. My planet was destroyed by Frieza long ago. Less than a handful of Saiyans survived the planet's destruction," he clenched his fist and continued. "And not another question about it," he said finitely.

Bulma fidgeted in her seat, sorry that she had made him angry. However she felt worse that he was helping her get home, but didn't have one of his own to return to. "You could probably stay," she cleared her throat softly, "If you wanted."

Vegeta looked over at her, a smirk lifting onto his face and she blushed deeply.

"When my father hears all you've done for me, I know he'll offer you a place to stay. If that's what you want. It is a self sustaining compound, so everything we need is there. My mother's garden is huge with lots of food, even enough for you. And after seeing some of the technology on the slave ship and the scouter, I am sure I can upgrade our defenses and keep us from being a target next time," as she rambled on the blush overtook her whole face and even boiled over her ears.

Vegeta looks at her curiously. What was causing this strange behavior? What made her think that he would stay after the deal was over? What exactly did she think was going on here? "Foolish human. They are likely all dead and you are wasting your time, " he said as he nestled back into his arms to rest.

Hurt and then very angry, Bulma put the scouter down and gave up talking for the day as she pulled the blanket up over her head. What on Earth was she thinking inviting him to stay at Capsule Corp? She didn't know anything about this man, other than that he was a big stick in the mud. She tried to brush off his words as she thought, _No, Capsule Corp has plenty of defenses. I am sure they are fine. Just fine. _Bulma always had a bad habit of chewing on her bottom lip when she was worried. Her mother always warned her that one day she was going to ruin her lips from biting on them so much, which was ridiculous because her lips were perfect. But as she chewed the soft thin skin between her teeth, she knew she would eventually draw blood.

A/N: WOOT NEW CHAPTER! We are finally getting into it, aren't we!


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